Heat insulating and fireproof material



July 16, 129. w. L. STEFFEN S HEAT INSULATING AND FIREPROOF MATERIAL Filed March 3. 1922 I, I, a

4 Qvwewtm Patented July 16, 1929.

UNITED STATES WALTER I. STEFFENS, OF WYOMING, OHIO.

H'EAT INSULATING AND rrnnraoor MATERIAL.

Application filed. March 3,

My invention relates to a flexible non-heat conducting and fireproof material. It 1s made preferably in form of a flexible blanket adapted for use wherever it is desirable to provide heat insulating or fireproof material.

It can be used as an insulation on all irregular surfaces by reason of its flexibility. It 1s adapted for such uses as insulation for steel passenger cars, insulating blanket for tank cars, for portable boilers, insulation for laundry presses, etc., for use in electric welding, for temporary insulation for tank cars especially when being unloaded under steam heat, or other uses where a temporary insulation is desired, and many other purposes.

In the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a plan View ofmy invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross section'of Fig. 1 on line 2-2.

Fig. 3 is a view of one strand in making my blanket.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section of a modification of my invention.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section of a modification of a strand or cord.

Fig. 6 is a modification of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a cross section of an insulating unit formed of two blankets.

In the drawings in which like letters relate to like parts A, A, are the weft cords or strands and'B, B, the warp cords, rope or' strands which form my insulating and fireproof blanket; The weft cords A are comor cord used posed, preferably, of blue African asbestos fibre and cotton in the proportion by weight ,of substantially 90% of blue African fibre and 10% cotton. If desired the warp cords or strands B could be made of substantially the same proportions of blue African fibre and 40 cotton but I prefer that they be substantially smaller in circumference than the weft cords so that they will permit of the weft cords being held close together as shown in Figures 1 and 6. Of course if desired the war cords B could be of greater circumference t an the weft cords A. The cords of the greater di ameter are always made of the mineral fibre and-the other cordsor strands if made of a non-mineral or a non-fireproof fibre are treated either before, during or after cording with a fireproofing substance so that when the blanket is in contact with intense heat it will not be affected by, but will resist same.

I prefer to form my blanket so thatrthere will be no spaces or openings therein betweenthe weft and warp cords or. strands.

1922. Serial No. 540,896.

For some purposes and uses I may make the smaller cords of metal. 'I have also found that for some purposes it is advantageous to insert in either the warp or weft threads, or in both, strands E of wire to retain the blanket in a fixed position.

When the warp or weft.- cords or both are made of a number of strands twisted together as shown in Figures 4 and 5, I have found that by treating the core'D with silicate of soda or someother suitable similar substance the blanket is stiffened. If the substance used is also an adhesive, as silicate of soda, it likewise causes'the twisted strands to adhere to gether and to be more compact, while it will also give somewhat greater rigidity to the blanket.

In Fig. 7, I have shown an insulating unit formed of two blankets which are attached by stitching G.

IVhere the weft cords A, as shown in Fig.

1, are looped at Ito return across the blanket" I sometimes insert through the loops abord preferably treated with fireproof substance or made of a fireproof material or a wire for the purpose of holding the insulating blanket in place when in use. When a plurality of blankets areused to form an insulating unit they may be held together by passing suitable cords H through the adjacent loops of adjacent blankets.

In some forms of my invention, especially where it may be necessary to cut the blanket shown in- Fig. 1, I have found that by providing an adhesive to the warp cords B, B, or to the weft'cords A, A, or to both, so as to cause the weft and warp cords to adhere to each other, the weft cords A, A,'wil1 not separate from each other or unravel.

In some forms of my invention it is not necessary to fireproof the warp cords B, B, as when the blanket is to be used merelyfor heat insulatin exposed to big temperatures.

Claims-- purposes and is not to be 1. A flexible heat insulating material fabric form, comprising relatively large weft cords each composed of a major percent by 'weight of asbestos fiber anda minor percent of cotton fiber, and relatively fine non-mineral, non-metallic warp cords treated with fireproofing substance binding said weft cords together in contact of adjacent cords throu hout their lengths, said weft cords being of such tensile strength, flexibility, firmness and texture as to present distinct flexible strands throughout the body of said fabric. 2 A heat insulating material in flexible blanket form comprising relatively large parallel closely adjacent but separately 'dis- 5 tinct cords each composed of a number of strands twisted together and having a major per cent by Weight of asbestos fiber, and relatively fine non-mineral textile threads treated with a fireproofing substance inter- 10 twined transversely of said cords in a manner to bind said cords together in contact of adj acent cords substantially-throughout their lengths, said cords and threads cooperating to impart pliability to said material along the length and transversely of said cords 15 adapting said material for use as an insulating covering on-irregular surfaces.

3. A heat insulating material as set forth in claim 2 and in which the asbestos fiber is of Africanv blue asbestos. 20

In testimony whereof, name to this specification.

WALTER STEFFENS.

I have signed my 

